The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (11 page)

Keep in mind that high-glycemic foods aren't necessarily unhealthy foods. Similarly, low-glycemic foods aren't always healthy. The glycemic index simply lets you know how quickly your blood sugar will rise from eating that food.

The goal for weight loss on the glycemic index diet is to consume mostly nutritious low-glycemic foods and incorporate medium- and high-glycemic foods rarely. (Consuming a high-glycemic food once in a while isn't going to make you gain weight overnight, so you do have some flexibility; Chapter 9 goes into more detail on the concept of moderation.)

Table 2-1 shows you the glycemic index numbers and measurements of some popular foods. As you can see, some foods fall right into line with what you may have thought about them. For example, brown rice is a low-glycemic food, and basmati white rice and spaghetti are medium-glycemic foods. But it's not always that clear-cut. Notice how jasmine rice has a significantly higher glycemic index number than basmati rice even though both types of rice are white? This is where specific types of products vary. Even though foods of the same type may appear the same, each variety can produce a different blood sugar response for many reasons (the very nature and origin of the food may be different, people may prepare it differently, and so on).

According to Table 2-1, Peanut M&M's and Snickers bars have the lowest glycemic content, whereas baked potatoes and watermelons have some of the highest. (No, candy isn't suddenly healthier for you than a potato or fruit.) Labeling baked potatoes and watermelons as "bad for you" is a little unfair because they're high in many different vitamins, minerals, and fiber. At the same time, you don't want to assume that certain candy is great for you so you can eat as much as you want. That's certainly rather tempting if you just go by the glycemic index numbers, but doing so will get you into trouble fast with your overall health and weight-loss goals!

Try prioritizing. First, focus on the basics of healthy eating. In other words, make sure you're eating a balanced diet that features lots of fruits and vegetables, high-fiber starches, lean meats, and healthy fats. Next, for the foods that contain carbohydrates, choose those that are low-glycemic. (Because you can't tell low-glycemic foods from high-glycemic ones just by looking at them, use Appendix A as a helpful guide.) Then to lose weight or maintain your weight, pay attention to portion size. After all, even too much of a good thing can be bad!

Seeing How Fiber Fits into the Mix

What's a section about fiber doing in a chapter on carbohydrates? Trust me, there's a definite method to the seeming madness. Turns out
fiber
is really just a term for complex carbohydrates that your body can't break down. Not only that, it's one of the most influential nutrition players for both weightloss and blood sugar control.

Plants use fiber for their shape and structure. In fact, fiber is what gives spinach its hearty stems. For humans, fiber can have many added health benefits, including heart health and intestinal health. The following sections reveal how fiber fits into your weight-loss plan.

Fiber and blood sugar control

Following a low-glycemic diet is about managing your blood sugar so you avoid large insulin spikes throughout the day. Fiber is a natural part of this process. Along with its other weight-loss benefits, fiber helps control the rise of blood sugar in your body after a meal. This effect is found specifically in
soluble fiber,
which dissolves and becomes gummy. Soluble fiber is also great at reducing cholesterol levels.
Insoluble fiber,
which people often consider "roughage," is also beneficial. It works as an appetite suppressant, slows the rate that blood accepts the blood glucose that's formed from digested sugars and starches, prevents constipation, and decreases your risk for bowel diseases.

In some cases, diabetics have been able to come off of medication because a high-fiber diet was enough to control their blood sugar. Additionally,
The New England Journal of Medicine
noted that diabetics who ate about 50 grams of fiber had much improved blood sugar control. Pretty impressive for a food you don't even digest, huh?

Clearly fiber is an important part of your overall weight-loss plan. You should try to consume 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day, including at least one to two servings of soluble fiber. This means eating about five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of whole grains, and one serving of legumes each day. Following are some specific foods that are high in both soluble and insoluble fiber (be sure to add 'em to your shopping list):

Soluble-fiber foods:
Beans, peas, oats, barley, flaxseeds, and many fruits and vegetables (such as apples, oranges, and carrots).

Insoluble-fiber foods:
Whole-wheat bread or pasta, corn bran, and many vegetables (such as green beans, cauliflower, and potatoes). The tough, chewy texture of these foods comes from the fiber itself.